Risks of running away from Iraq are grave

Wednesday

WASHINGTON - Last week, Congress and the American people heard an outline for the future of our commitment to the security and stability of Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Last week, Congress and the American people heard an outline for the future of our commitment to the security and stability of Iraq.

Based on recommendations from our commander on the ground, Gen. David Petraeus, President Bush outlined a plan to reduce our troop strength in Iraq by 5,700 in the coming months. This is made possible by the substantial progress our troops have made in curbing sectarian violence and achieving tactical momentum against the radical militant Islamists there.

Both Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, our chief diplomat in Iraq, reported to Congress last week on how this progress on the security front is beginning to allow the Iraqi government the time and space it needs to succeed, and while progress has been uneven in that regard, a genuine commitment has been made to major reforms.

Less publicized, but just as compelling, was testimony before the Senate from our nation's spy chief, Vice Adm. Mike McConnell, who shared his bird's-eye view of al-Qaida's plans to launch another attack on America.

Adm. McConnell made it crystal-clear that al-Qaida is still mobilizing its resources and training new recruits to launch attacks on U.S. targets with, as he put it, "the goal of producing mass casualties, visually dramatic destruction and significant economic shocks."

Even if al-Qaida's members can't do the dirty work themselves, they'll find sleeper cells sympathetic to their hateful cause to do it for them.

It would be reckless, then, for us to walk away from Iraq and hand over to al-Qaida and its radical militant Islamist associates a strategic base where they can consolidate their gains, train their newest recruits and plan fresh attacks on Americans.

Indeed, the stakes of our engagement in Iraq have risen and the consequences of our failure there are momentous - for Iraq, for the region and for the world. An independent commission headed by retired Gen. James L. Jones concluded just that in a report to the Congress two weeks ago: "The strategic consequences of failure, or even perceived failure, for the United States and the Coalition are enormous ...

"Iraq's regional geo-strategic position, the balance of power in the Middle East, the economic stability made possible by the flow of energy to many parts of the world and the ability to defeat and contain terrorism where it is most manifest are issues that do not lend themselves to easy or quick solutions. How we respond to them, however, could well define our nation in the eyes of the world for years to come."

And as Ambassador Crocker said in his testimony, a destabilized Iraq "could well invite the intervention of regional states, all of which see their future connected to Iraq's in some fundamental way. Undoubtedly, Iran would be a winner in this scenario, consolidating its influence over Iraqi resources and possibly territory."

Gen. Petraeus put it best when he said premature withdrawal from Iraq would give al-Qaida a "shot of adrenaline."

It's important to remember that this is not a war between the United States and Iraq; this is a war between radical Islam and everybody else. These terrorists don't tolerate moderate Islam; they don't tolerate secular Islam; they don't tolerate Jews; and they don't tolerate Christians. Frankly, they don't tolerate western civilization. And that's why this is a larger issue than just what goes on in Baghdad. If we were to pull everybody home and turn off the lights tomorrow, the consequences would be disastrous.

The president, Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker have presented us with the chance for an intellectually honest, genuinely bipartisan discussion on this issue. The surge is no silver bullet; we still face significant challenges in Iraq. But we must not lose sight of the importance of this moment in the history of this young century. The Iraqi people have consciously chosen to reject al-Qaida and its radical and violent brand of Islam in favor of forming a more perfect union. We should do everything we can to give them a fighting chance.